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20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA: PRINTABLE NOTES / LESSON PLANS

CHAPTER 16: “ Not Enough Air”

Summary

Captain Nemo tells the men that there are two ways of dying in their
present situation: being crushed; being asphyxiated. Food is not an issue
because they have generous provisions. Nemo’s strategy is to send his
divers to cut through the iceberg at its least thick point. The men take
turns helping cut through the ice. As they dug through, Aronnax notices
the added danger of the once collapsing on them once the hole is dug through.

The captain decides to emit boiling water from the jets of the Nautilus
to slow the freezing. The men begin to grow tired, suffering from
oxygen deprivation. Suddenly, the Nautilus becomes free. The plan
worked.

CHAPTER 17: “From Cape Horn to the Amazon”

Summary

The men rushed to the platform as soon as the Nautilus surfaced,
breathing in deep gulps of air. Aronnax thanked the other tow men for
saving him. When Land said he was simple arithmetic, that Aronnax’s life
was worth more than theirs, Aronnax said this was not true. The men returned
to their talk of leaving, thinking of how they might escape.

The next few pages are filled with Aronnax’s observations of fish and
sea as the ship sails north. He spends his days studying and reading.
One day Conseil, unknowingly, lifted a dangerous torpedo fish and became
paralyzed for a few moments. That evening they ate the fish out of revenge.

CHAPTER 18: “Squid”

Summary

As the men sail far off the American coast they consider how they might
leave the vessel. They are not sure that it is possible. Land suggests
that Aronnax ask Nemo outright if he plans on freeing them. Aronnax thinks
this is a bad idea. He has noticed a change in Nemo, who seems to be avoiding
him. Nemo no longer visits Aronnax in the salon, nor does he explain the
underwater adventure any longer. Aronnax does not think it is a good idea
to ask Nemo about their freedom, because he is certain Nemo has no intentions
of restoring it. Furthermore, he does not want to arouse any suspicion
about their impending escape. Aronnax is also ready to return to the surface;
he now feels he has enough information for a complete book and does not
want this information to be buried with him.

One night the discussion turns to squid, as the men watch them through
the observation windows. Land, in his typical fashion, does not believe
in the existence of the giant squid because he has not ever dissected
one. Suddenly, the vessel stops. Captain Nemo enters the salon and looks
out the windows. He tells the men that a squid has gotten caught in the
ship’s propeller. They will surface and fight off the squid with axes
since electric bullets can not kill them (they do not offer enough resistance
to the bullet to allow an explosion to occur).

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The men open the hatches of the ship and are attacked by the squid.
As a sailor is carried away and suffocated by a squid, he calls out in
French. Aronnax is shocked, since all he had ever heard them speak is
the strange language that he does not understand. The men think they have
almost freed the poor sailor when the squid releases a black liquid, temporarily
blinding everyone. The squid carries the sailor away. Captain Nemo saves
Ned Land from a similar fate. When the battle is over, Nemo looks at the
sea in which the sailor is lost and cries.

CHAPTER 19: “The Gulf Stream”

Summary

For ten days the Nautilus sails at random, reflecting the sad
mood of Nemo. As the ship travels north in the Gulf Stream, the men look
for an opportunity for escape. They are only thirty miles off the American
coast and consistently encounter steamers, which they are sure will pick
them up upon escape. Unfortunately, the weather turns very bad--too bad
to sail in a small boat. Ned Land tells Aronnax now that they were in
his shores he would talk with the captain. He fears they will head to
the North Pole and repeat the incident at the South Pole. Fearing Land
would act rashly and ruin their chances, Aronnax offers to talk with the
captain himself.

Aronnax goes to the captains room, obviously disturbing him. The captain
asks for the same freedom he grants to Aronnax; the freedom to remain
alone. Captain Nemo shows Aronnax the manuscript he is writing. He tells
him it contains the secrets of his life and his discoveries in the sea.
The plan is for the last man living on the ship to toss it into the waves,
so the secrets will not die. Aronnax tells Nemo that he thinks his plan
is crude, because he does not know that the manuscript will be found.
He tells the captain that he and his companions will take the manuscript
and keep it a secret in exchange for their freedom. Aronnax asks the captain
if he ever plans on freeing them. The captain says that he who enters
the Nautilus must remain there. When Aronnax complains that this
is slavery, Nemo says he has never sworn them to an oath. Nemo then says
he will not speak of this a second time. Upon hearing of Nemo’s reaction,
Ned Land says they must try to escape when they get to Long Island--whatever
the weather.

A storm breaks the day they reach Long Island. The Nautilus remains
above the water. Nemo stands on the platform defying the storm. As the
terrifying hurricane continues at the surface, the Nautilus returns
below the sea, where no sign of the hurricane is present.

CHAPTER 20: “47° 24’N, 17° 28’W”

Summary

The ship continued heading north east. Then , after some time, and much
to the surprise of the men, the ship began heading south--toward Europe.
Aronnax and Land wondered if the Nautilus would dare to enter the
English Channel. Captain Nemo appeared again, somber and distracted. One
evening, the Nautilus sink to the sea’s bottom yet again, next
to a ship wreck. Captain Nemo told Aronnax the story of how the ship sunk
bravely in battle. The ship was called the Vengeur.

NOTES AND ANALYSIS OF CHAPTERS 16 - 20

At the South Pole, when it seems that death is imminent, Captain Nemo treats the idea nonchalantly. He seems more
concerned that his project will fail--that the Nautilus is not as powerful as he believed-than the idea that he and the men
might die.

Following this event, the need to escape becomes more pronounced. Even Aronnax, who until this point has thought how
he might reason with the captain, is beginning to think action is necessary. Aronnax is changing and allowing himself to
rely more on his experience with real life than with his ability to rationalize.

Once again, Nemo shows compassion when he is moved by the death of an innocent crewmember by the squid. It seems
that Nemo does value human life to an extent and that his revenge is politically motivated.

Throughout this tale Nemo tells many stories. This technique is known as a
frame story--telling a tale within a tale. Often, in this novel, the tale
within the tale is used to preface an excursion (e.g. the story of Atlantis).
However, in this section Nemo’s tale of the sinking of the Vengeur
is foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is when the author writes something
that warns the reader of something similar to come later. In French vengeur
means avenger--someone seeking revenge. The premise of Nemo’s life on
the Nautilus seems to be revenge. When he discusses how the Vengeur
sunk heroically in battle, he is foreshadowing his own demise.